Watch the SPB297 63MAS Review here: th-cam.com/video/-QzK86gsUd0/w-d-xo.html And sorry for the click bait title, but our Seiko vids can't compete with other channels Seiko vids so we are just trying some TH-cam tricks to try and boost them. 😅 -falling oh and sorry about the sound. Tried a new position for the mic and it failed. Everything is fixed now this was filmed last month.
Yes, seiko usually uses such cheap hollow link bracelets....I had a seiko 5 bracelet pin fall out and my watch fell to the carpet floor....it came out of the part near the case which I never took out from new purchase and looked like the pin was too small in length for the link....good thing I have spare pins in many sizes.
@@steelsteez6118 I disagree....if you're paying $500 for a seiko retail, it should come with a better bracelet and not hollow links....citizen has better quality for the same price and better warranty.
@@steelsteez6118 if seiko charges extra money for its name it doesnt mean it can use scrap items and poor quality materials to build the basics of a watch… these days even the 6r35 mov watches are pretty pricey …for eg Tissot watches between 500-1000$ watches are better built.
You can get a Longines Hydroconquest 39mm, for around $1200 at gray market. L888 movement is outstanding. Longines is my favorite brand, but last Saturday I got a new Seiko SPB147. Man, SPB147 is awesome ! It’s my first Seiko, I had Orient on the 80/90’s. People are saying the 6R35 is a crap. So far my watch is doing ok, and it will be always in my collection.
Bought the SPB299 last month, got to say it is an amazing watch, I wear mine on a Seiko silicone strap. Thankfully, my movement out of the box was running +9 seconds a day but I let it break in for a month and then regulated it. Now it is averaging +1 second a day and it has been consistent *knocks on wood*. The bezel alignment QC seems to be better these days but the 6R movements concern is always there being hit or miss.
Same-o with my Seiko Land Tortoise. The NH35 movement was running at +17 sec/day out of the box. Took it to a watchmaker for servicing - lubricating and regulating - and it came back running at +1sec/day.
My automatic watch was running slow 2.5 minutes a day! That's 150 seconds! And yet I loved it to bits, because it gave me more reasons to look at it and admire it and cherish our good times together. It was not perfect, but I knew that, and like to an old buddy, I had to tap it its shoulders every 3 days just to remind not to give up but keep up. As you would do to an old fiend anyway.
Thanks for the legit critique of the 6R35 movement. I have 2 such Seikos, the SPB143 and SPB147. The time is okay but can't compare it with the 8L35 movements on my SLA021, SLA051, and SLA055. A Seiko buyer might be well served to save and just get an SLA model rather than accumulate mid-tier 6R35 models.
My spb143 was initially running fast but settled in at about -15spd after a couple of months which had me very disappointed. I increased it to +10spb and on wrist it runs deadly accurate with little deviation (+/-1spd). I can achieve the same with a 4R movement so long as it's a healthy one. So while I think out of box the 6L and 8L will likely perform better than 4R or 6R, I don't see why a watch hobbiest wouldn't spend $200 on a timegrapher and dial in their timepieces instead of shelling out a lot more money for better accuracy. The way I feel about my spb143 now compared to how I felt about it when it was running -15spd is night and day.
I couldn’t agree more. Only the 8L movements are worth it. Anything below that are just junk and doesn’t keep time very well. Also, the date window looks cheap and doesn’t have any framing.
I don't understand why everyone complains about this movement. It's a relatively moderate price point with no competition at all here! Just take it to a "HeuerMeister" and have it calibrated/regulated properly. The money is in the case! It is absurd to bring up comparisons to "SLAxxx/8Lxx". It's a totally different demographic. At the price point Seiko wants to retail these, you are no longer bringing up Hamilton and Tissot comparisons, You are now looking at Tag & Tudor through the store window!
@@Dr.Who_84 They complain because 4R and NH35/36 movements in inexpensive Seiko's and homages perform better. I've looked at the MM200 and 62MAS and Sumo watches and went homage superior price, QC and other upgraded or unique options. Seiko keeps missing the mark and as a longtime fan of Japanese culture and attention to detail its utterly inexcusable to see so little pride.
Yeah, but your talking "Apples" to Oranges" here. The whole point of Seiko's is variety and "Bang for the Buck" A watch with an "8Lxx" series movement is +$2.5K. Now we're talkng TAG or Tudor territory...!?!
The movement accuracy is within spec (they don't specify amplitude). As with any watch one that is regulated will cost more. I do my own regulation, and do a weight average based on the position of the watch on my wrist throughout the day. That should provide be the most accurate time keeping for an individual.
The 6R15 is more accurate if fully wound and worn on the wrist. It is just one of those Seiko quirks… it does not perform well on the timegrapher. Thanks for the video, and Happy New year!
I have two new 6R-35 Alpinists (the white dial with the cyclops and raised indices, and the blue dial "baby" no-compass version with printed indices). I have to adjust the minute hand slightly on both every few days.
Got this watch and like it a little more every time i put it on wrist. I do find the bracelet clunky so i wear it on a premium leather strap or a artem sailcloth. But man does it wear wonderfully.
Thank you for your content, appreciate your transparent and trust approach in reviewing watches. I’m considering to buy Seiko King Sumo, with 6R35 movement. And that movement is a dealbreaker for me. I heard you said that this movement needs oiling and regulating to become consistent. Would you please make a video “Before and After” about results of after purchase Seiko maintenance. . (Before -from factory timegrapher and After - oiling and regulating results on timegrapher. If results worth it, I would give a chance and buy Seiko Sumo and give it to watch master for maintenance. If you’ll have your own video of Seiko King Sumo that would be awesome! Thank you!
I had those 3 in the radar in December 2022. But if seiko would had done the willard with this dial if would not have been a question. I ended buying the seiko turtle blue turtle and a seiko alpinist in black. That trio was just missing something. The watch in this video I felt needed crown guards to balance the look.
I had problem with the SPB317J1, -4 minutes a day! I sent it to Seiko UK, they serviced and sent watch back and now it is almost spot on. Over a week only 5 seconds out. So they can make them accurate, it is just sloppy QC!
I didn't think it was a click bait title.... You didn't even mention the big scratch on the dial just under the 2 o'clock marker! Along with the badly regulated movement it's definitely got QC issues.
Agree - everyone’s commenting on the movement, though whatever that imperfection is (a fleck or a scratch) really stands out on that blue dial. That alone is grounds for returning a new watch.
ouch! Yeah when filming it looked like a dust but you know what it could have been a crack in the texture layer. I was very tempted to open and find out but did not.
The spec is +25 to -15. Not going to compare to many other modern movements by spec but Seikos usually tune to better than that. Shame the QC seems to have dropped. I kind of wish they had not gone for the slower beat rate, longer run time hack.
@Shadowgolem Personally, i don't mind the slower beat movement...Why? Lower service intervals.. These prospex are workhorses designed to keep going..I'm fine with it.
Not likely. There’s a reviewer bias for broken watches. Everyone storms. The internet to complain. They’re selling THOUSANDS of watches. Many of The happy customers don’t go online at all.
Wise choice! I just tested a new GMT Seiko NH34 in a micro brand and it performed well. I was a little surprised at the 12 down performance as well. It remained over 300 amplitude which I don't think I've seen before.
4R and 6R are nearly odentical, the difference is only that 6R has longer power reserve due to the different mainspring and has a different hair spring (for a bit better accuracy), other than those 2 parts, the movement is exacrtly the same
I dont remember where i got the idea from, but i was under the impression that the 6r35 would be easier (and likely cheaper) to regulate and service than a powermatic 80. Is that true, and is that worth considering when comparing these Seikos to some of those Swiss watches?
You can get this watch around 800 dollars brand new in USA now if you know where to look. I got one for just under that it is one of my best watch deals of 2022 for this watch quality and design.
Yeah, my luck, or rather unluckiness, with Seiko's that have the 6R35 hasn't been great. My SPB147 ran kind of shitty out of the box. -20 to 25 s/d, if I recall. I ended up regulating myself and it did end up being one of my most accurate watches at under +2 s/d. And, it held that performance. Sometimes the movement can slip out of regulation. Such as with my SBDC111. It was running about -8 to -12 s/d. I've been trying to retrieve it, but, I think the movement had some QC issues. The time greater shows style key erratic results of when. The readings can vary greatly and sometimes ramping up to +77 to over +100 s/d?! Out of nowhere. I'm just watching it in 12 down position and waiting for readings to settle to see where it's holding. Even if I seemingly get a more consistent reading for me to be satisfied enough to close the case back and give it another test run. It starts out ok then the deviation slowly accelerates it's increase over the day. It's quite frustrating and disappointing. I really feel like swapping out the 6R35 for a good old NH35. They seem more consistent and generally perform better with my experience. Additionally, I don't really care about the 70 hr of PR because these watches never hold their timekeeping when off the wrist as opposed to when they are kept on the wrist, in my experience. So, I'd have to be put in the effort to hack and reset the watch anyways. Adding a little hand wind or shake to get the movement running again isn't that much more to do. Thus, I find high power reserve near useless unless the watch is COSC or greater where it can and should maintain accuracy while both on and off the wrist.
Thanks for sharing. This is my experience as well. Just tested a new microbrand with the NH34 gmt movement and was surprised at 12 down still 300 amp. I think the mainspring at 70hrs gives inconsistent power or something in the 6Rs. It has to be the reason.
That's exactly the accuracy I get with my 6R35; after being regulated again by Seiko, it gains time in any flat position but loses substantially in any edge down position. Mine is now ok to wear and keep good time but out of the factory it was awful.
@@SaSpursFan it's much better, keeps ok time now as long as I place it face up when I take it off. But I shouldn't have to take a month old $1000 Seiko straight in for regulating, they need to lift their game on that.
@@caramel109 I agree! My spd207 was running -20 s/day. So disappointing bc it’s the first time I ever spent that much on a watch ($1350)! How long did it take to get back from seiko
@@SaSpursFan about 3 weeks. I have a $150 Rolex copy from China that keeps better time, which is pretty embarrassing. The 6R35 movement is a dud and shouldn't be in any watches above $500.
Eh in my part of the world you can find ADs selling it well below regional MSRP between USD855 - USD985 with real warranty. And that includes the major regional AD that also sells Grand Seikos. It's a sub-one-thousand-dollar watch...
Yes it looks exceptional for 1200 dollars. Most watches from other brands/microbrands come out anything similar to this watch in greatness at same cost , no one will say anything, but for seiko, always people complain price. Hopefully one day in future, seiko will develop a greater brand image hopefully comparable to longine or oris
@@bryanryan4504exactly, they complain about price but they are willing to spend thousands on a swiss made extremely ugly watches. I will not mention brands to offend anybody but you may guess
I dare say that had it not been for the beauty of Seiko watches, they would have been blown off the market. I have spb143 myself and I love it, but after 2 months it had + 46s / d and now it is waiting for a new mechanism under the warranty because it has not been possible to adjust it. My first and last 6r35 Seiko.
The SPB299 is beautiful and the bracelet is pretty good. But the bezel on mine is not properly aligned and has some play, the lume is unimpressive, and the movement was running at +25spd. I regulated it, but even then the positional variance for the movement is absurd. It’s just not a good value.
Have several 6r15 movements and seem to have had luck with them; the QC on these 6r35 seem to be wildly inconsistent-may need to go Longines or Seiko 6L or 8L for my next watch. Shame as I love the case and dials on the Seikos. Wake up Seiko!
Uhm didn't have the sound on all the way, but is there blemish on the dial itself slightly below and towards the center of the 2 o'clock marker? The issues you mentioned certainly steered me away from Seiko. I really like their style and finish, but the hit and miss QC is just not okay for me. I will rather wear my Victorinox maverick for a diver or go the other direction and spend more to get something nice.
basically lol. You can check out the 6L movements in the 2-3k range hopefully they put that movement in more watches going forward. Seiko is almost ready to release their silicone hair spring which could change the game for the 6R in the future. It did save the co-axial as its like a CHEAT CODE for your movement.
I picked up the spb187 a few months ago and I was lucky with the 6r35. Mine on wrist is running -3 per day. I've tried out several gs divers and I really think this case is up there.
Really shocked with the results from your movement - A year ago I got the SPB181J1 (PADI Sumo) with the 6r35 and it runs fantastically at +2s/d but it’s sounding more and more like I was lucky and got a ‘good one’.
I have a 200 euro seiko 5, I can barely accept the accuracy for the money as its pretty bad. But for that kind of money its pretty sad. Got much better experience with miyota. I like seiko divers, but keeping to quartz
It’s not in no man land price wise, actually it has excellent competition by the likes of Squale 1521, Doxa Sub 200, Mido Ocean Star Tribute, CW C60, and many others.
Just sold my black Seiko SPB255J1. I loved the watch. Its stellar looks, drilled lugs, fat spring bars, being a strap monster. Even the bezel aligned pretty good. Sadly, almost every Seiko automatic I've owned has given me the impression that Seiko has a very hit and miss chance when it comes to QC in the movement department, and that is just sad in my opinion. I got my 6R35 movement regulated (quick), and it went +- 2 sec a day for a couple of weeks before is plummeted back to - 10 secs a day. I regularly had to demagnetize it too. Not a big issue, but my watch was so inconsistent. I switched between the Seiko and my Glycine Combat Sub 42 (ETA 2824), and it was, and still is much more consistent and accurate than my SPB255J1. I'm not saying that the Glycine and ETA is better, but for the price I paid for my Seiko, much was left to be desired. If Seiko do increase their QC-department's quality, I will without hesitation go back to Seiko.
Thanks for sharing. The ETA 2824 is a chronometer grade movement, meaning it can reach chronometer status depending on regulation and tier. For Seiko the only way to get chronometer grade architecture is the 6 'L' and 8 'L' if we exclude Seiko spring drives in the LX.
Great video, many thanks for the extra discussion of movement details. Even if it is a minority of people who want their watch to reliably show what time it is, perhaps it should be a bolder minority. Watches can and should be as accurate as possible, or at least that option should be available for people who want their watch to show the time (I can feel the web-hate coming for saying that). Mechanical can be accurate. Regulating works. ( I love the sound of the 6R15, but I haven't seen one that keeps good time. Why are the 6r35 and 6r15 considered 'better' than the 4r3#? Better quality parts? Seems like the performance isn't as good. The 4r35 (and the version for export) is like the Drosophila of movements, seiko must have soooo much data on how to make those well. Curious to have a better low-end than a middle....
I think you've answered your own question really without actually saying it. When it comes to looks seiko pulls out all the stops and to me that is the main thing and makes it worth the money, so long as it not ridiculously inaccurate. I only wear my watches for two to three days at a time before changing, so for me 10 to 12 seconds out wouldn't be a problem.
I would say to this day Turtle and King turtle have by far the best looking bevel bezels ever,even better than MM200 and MM300.Those Turtle double square bevels are just the best!!
Sent my prospex ginza 6R35 back for warranty regulation for being -23 seconds on average. Fingers crossed this sorts it out. Upside is that the warranty covers this so I’m not out anything here.
6R15s had similar problems. I don't think they ever figured out a way to guarantee a solid 6Rxx movement in a new Seiko. They should just buy their movements from Citizen. The 90xx's are rock solid.
Seiko fan here but loosing the trust. Owned and sold few now based on (too) poor QC. Remained with 6r35 Alpinist and ran at +40 a day. Returned to AD for regulation, now barely at +15-20 a day. Really bad compared to Swis comps and seriously considering buying any Seiko again despite the love. Needless to say the compas dial is way off/misaligned. There is too much compromise to take with Seiko, they need to pick up on QC or loose the price increasing game
I was hoping nobody noticed my 4k super zoom macros hehehe ;-) Wait till next months oris aquis episode we are going to play SPOT THE QC issue on that one.
Seiko has even increasing their price like crazy now, unfortunately they don't up their ante on their QC. I don't think they present value any more. For anything more than 1k I would rather go to other micro brand. These guys care more quality and can offer more than Seiko giant.
I gave my sumo PADI to my son , I paid around 800euro for it, the bezel alignment was not perfectly aligned, with the price I paid, I was dissatisfied.
@@EscapementWatch I used a demagnetiser on it, but it didn't improve. Seiko has it at the moment and I'm hoping to have it fixed and returned next week.
I have the glacier white Willard and this mm200 reduced from this save the ocean collection. Both these watches are extremely nice especially on my 7in wrist. They’re pretty perfect and always stay accurate. Btw if you’re going to wear a rubber strap get a crafter blue curved rubber strap.
Yeah and if you wear multiple watches a week it is not a big deal. Say you wear it 3 days in a row. 30s off is not going to make you late for anything!
Tengo dos Seiko con calibre 6R 35 el SPB147 y el SPB 169 los dos han venido con problemas de exactitud, por lo tanto Seiko ahorra a cuenta del cliente. Relojes de más de 1000 eur dls es lamentable. Estoy defraudado con Seiko. Saludos.
I'd say the biggest problem they have is "the person who does the chapter ring and bezel alignment for their divers and gmts, needs to be fired." Who am I kidding, we all know its a robot that installs all that crap.
Nodus avalon. The newest version bad ass. It comes in bronze also. I think seiko looks great but overpriced. Nodus gives you alot more for the price there charging. Great company. Almost forgot regulated movement
I love this watch but Seiko is not paying full attention to the competitors. Someone convince me why I should buy this watch over Christopher Ward C60 Pro 300 ? I don't care about the 70 hr power reserve at the expense of the beats per second... For me, all the 3 hz movements with 70 or 80 hr of PR don't add any extra value.
Hamilton and TIssot aren't really direct competitors I think, they're more entry level. I think much closer rivals are the Squale 1521 and Sub-39, Zodiac SSW, and Chris Ward Trident and Aquitaine. Chris Ward in particular I think really puts a tough fight up against Seiko. The Light Catcher case is very nicely finished, CW's bezels actually line up and their action is better, their crown action is better, and the SW-200 isn't likely to have such wild swings in amplitude out of the box. I know you weren't super impressed with the CW you had in, but the Atoll Blue Trident C60 which I have is a gorgeous watch. I also own both the SPB185 and SPB207 (both modded) so I have a good basis for comparison. I'm also putting together mods based on the SPB255 and SPB299. The case is the best part of the MM200R, the finishing is superb. I like it so much I'm going to have four of them. An interesting tidbit you didn't mention - the 299 does not have the same handset design as the SPB185/187/207/240/255. They all have broader, wedge shaped hands. The 299 for whatever reason has the slimmer and straighter hour and minute from the 63MAS and Willard. Not sure why Seiko made that choice.
Thank you for mentioning as I forgot!!! I remember seeing the first render and thinking oh the photoshop guy messed up the hands. But I was wrong they really are the 63mas hands. Maybe its a save the ocean thing. Be curious to see if they keep it. I like these hands better on this watch they work better imo. As for CW I would like to get another on the channel I'm talking to them now but they are so slow to email us. Communication is like 1 email a month or 2! As for the hammy I recently filmed the upgraded new version 43mm ceramic and now it has 300m of water resist instead of the 40mm 100m I looked at last year.
It's a shame Seiko's cases and dials are so nice, because the accuracy is dramatically better on the ~$1K Swatch group diver movements. I'm not sure why Seiko can't do a little regulation on those things at 4 figure prices.
For my 8KX I actually tried to regulating it all day. I would leave it for 30 minutes. Maybe edit a little bit, then change the positioning it would not hold and I'm not new to regulation on Seiko's. I've been doing it for years so that one had a problem and I think this one might as well because of the dramatic amplitude drop. I just filmed the NH34 a new GMT from a micro brand and it kept 300 amplitude in both positions which shocked me. I don't think I've ever seen that before on this grade of movement. Stay tuned next month when I'm allowed to reveal which micro brand is using the new Seiko GMT.
Seiko is crazy with their pricing.For $425 I got a Maratac LSA: 40mm grade 5 titanium case/bezel, 120 clicks, polished ceramic insert, signed crown, domed AR sapphire crystal, C3 Superluminova, 300m WR, incredibly crisp and detailed milling all around, and powered by a Seiko 4R35. There’s no way that Seiko with their big overhead can compete with the micro brands.
![Seiko Glacier Marine Master Reduced: Almost Perfect! SBDC167 / SPB299 [ SBDC167J1 / SPB299J1] MM200](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CJqpR4tgR7s/mqdefault.jpg)
![Seiko Glacier Marine Master Reduced: Almost Perfect! SBDC167 / SPB299 [ SBDC167J1 / SPB299J1] MM200](/img/tr.png)
Watch the SPB297 63MAS Review here: th-cam.com/video/-QzK86gsUd0/w-d-xo.html And sorry for the click bait title, but our Seiko vids can't compete with other channels Seiko vids so we are just trying some TH-cam tricks to try and boost them. 😅 -falling oh and sorry about the sound. Tried a new position for the mic and it failed. Everything is fixed now this was filmed last month.
If Seiko wants to increase their prices, they need to increase their QC to match.
Seiko are trash
This is too blanket of a statement because they actually have, just not on all models.
Yes, seiko usually uses such cheap hollow link bracelets....I had a seiko 5 bracelet pin fall out and my watch fell to the carpet floor....it came out of the part near the case which I never took out from new purchase and looked like the pin was too small in length for the link....good thing I have spare pins in many sizes.
@@steelsteez6118 I disagree....if you're paying $500 for a seiko retail, it should come with a better bracelet and not hollow links....citizen has better quality for the same price and better warranty.
@@steelsteez6118 if seiko charges extra money for its name it doesnt mean it can use scrap items and poor quality materials to build the basics of a watch… these days even the 6r35 mov watches are pretty pricey …for eg Tissot watches between 500-1000$ watches are better built.
You can get a Longines Hydroconquest 39mm, for around $1200 at gray market. L888 movement is outstanding.
Longines is my favorite brand, but last Saturday I got a new Seiko SPB147. Man, SPB147 is awesome !
It’s my first Seiko, I had Orient on the 80/90’s.
People are saying the 6R35 is a crap. So far my watch is doing ok, and it will be always in my collection.
Only issue I can see there is the Seiko looks & feels so much better than the longlines
As a swiss guy I say: nothing compares to Seiko
日本人としていいます
ありがとう
Seiko completed my watch collection and they saved me thousands in parking fines as a delivery driver. thank you Seiko.
Bought the SPB299 last month, got to say it is an amazing watch, I wear mine on a Seiko silicone strap. Thankfully, my movement out of the box was running +9 seconds a day but I let it break in for a month and then regulated it. Now it is averaging +1 second a day and it has been consistent *knocks on wood*. The bezel alignment QC seems to be better these days but the 6R movements concern is always there being hit or miss.
Agreed. I’ve had better accuracy from my 4Rs….strange.
It is a bummer with the 6R movement being a hit or miss, but with a watch this sexy I wouldnt even care.
It wears great. super comfy and I loved looking down at it on my wrist in all lighting conditions. If this was a 40mm with 6L or 8L I'd be so happy!
Same-o with my Seiko Land Tortoise. The NH35 movement was running at +17 sec/day out of the box. Took it to a watchmaker for servicing - lubricating and regulating - and it came back running at +1sec/day.
My automatic watch was running slow 2.5 minutes a day! That's 150 seconds! And yet I loved it to bits, because it gave me more reasons to look at it and admire it and cherish our good times together. It was not perfect, but I knew that, and like to an old buddy, I had to tap it its shoulders every 3 days just to remind not to give up but keep up. As you would do to an old fiend anyway.
Thanks for the legit critique of the 6R35 movement. I have 2 such Seikos, the SPB143 and SPB147. The time is okay but can't compare it with the 8L35 movements on my SLA021, SLA051, and SLA055. A Seiko buyer might be well served to save and just get an SLA model rather than accumulate mid-tier 6R35 models.
My spb143 was initially running fast but settled in at about -15spd after a couple of months which had me very disappointed. I increased it to +10spb and on wrist it runs deadly accurate with little deviation (+/-1spd). I can achieve the same with a 4R movement so long as it's a healthy one. So while I think out of box the 6L and 8L will likely perform better than 4R or 6R, I don't see why a watch hobbiest wouldn't spend $200 on a timegrapher and dial in their timepieces instead of shelling out a lot more money for better accuracy. The way I feel about my spb143 now compared to how I felt about it when it was running -15spd is night and day.
I couldn’t agree more. Only the 8L movements are worth it. Anything below that are just junk and doesn’t keep time very well. Also, the date window looks cheap and doesn’t have any framing.
I don't understand why everyone complains about this movement. It's a relatively moderate price point with no competition at all here! Just take it to a "HeuerMeister" and have it calibrated/regulated properly. The money is in the case! It is absurd to bring up comparisons to "SLAxxx/8Lxx". It's a totally different demographic. At the price point Seiko wants to retail these, you are no longer bringing up Hamilton and Tissot comparisons, You are now looking at Tag & Tudor through the store window!
@@Dr.Who_84 They complain because 4R and NH35/36 movements in inexpensive Seiko's and homages perform better. I've looked at the MM200 and 62MAS and Sumo watches and went homage superior price, QC and other upgraded or unique options. Seiko keeps missing the mark and as a longtime fan of Japanese culture and attention to detail its utterly inexcusable to see so little pride.
Yeah, but your talking "Apples" to Oranges" here. The whole point of Seiko's is variety and "Bang for the Buck" A watch with an "8Lxx" series movement is +$2.5K. Now we're talkng TAG or Tudor territory...!?!
The movement accuracy is within spec (they don't specify amplitude). As with any watch one that is regulated will cost more. I do my own regulation, and do a weight average based on the position of the watch on my wrist throughout the day. That should provide be the most accurate time keeping for an individual.
Experiencing the disappointing 6r35 movement personally, my respect with the powermatic 80 is now way way higher.
The 6R15 is more accurate if fully wound and worn on the wrist. It is just one of those Seiko quirks… it does not perform well on the timegrapher. Thanks for the video, and Happy New year!
I have two new 6R-35 Alpinists (the white dial with the cyclops and raised indices, and the blue dial "baby" no-compass version with printed indices). I have to adjust the minute hand slightly on both every few days.
Got this watch and like it a little more every time i put it on wrist. I do find the bracelet clunky so i wear it on a premium leather strap or a artem sailcloth. But man does it wear wonderfully.
Oh yeah! SEIKO diver's belong on a strap anyways
Thank you for your content, appreciate your transparent and trust approach in reviewing watches.
I’m considering to buy Seiko King Sumo, with 6R35 movement. And that movement is a dealbreaker for me. I heard you said that this movement needs oiling and regulating to become consistent.
Would you please make a video “Before and After” about results of after purchase Seiko maintenance. . (Before -from factory timegrapher and After - oiling and regulating results on timegrapher.
If results worth it, I would give a chance and buy Seiko Sumo and give it to watch master for maintenance.
If you’ll have your own video of Seiko King Sumo that would be awesome! Thank you!
I had those 3 in the radar in December 2022. But if seiko would had done the willard with this dial if would not have been a question. I ended buying the seiko turtle blue turtle and a seiko alpinist in black. That trio was just missing something. The watch in this video I felt needed crown guards to balance the look.
I had problem with the SPB317J1, -4 minutes a day! I sent it to Seiko UK, they serviced and sent watch back and now it is almost spot on. Over a week only 5 seconds out. So they can make them accurate, it is just sloppy QC!
I didn't think it was a click bait title.... You didn't even mention the big scratch on the dial just under the 2 o'clock marker!
Along with the badly regulated movement it's definitely got QC issues.
Agree - everyone’s commenting on the movement, though whatever that imperfection is (a fleck or a scratch) really stands out on that blue dial. That alone is grounds for returning a new watch.
Hey is there a scratch or a spect of dust on the dial just below the 10 minute Indecie
*index
Yes it is a fabric or really big dust spec sitting on the dial.
@@EscapementWatch I was wondering too. At least that can be removed. I just lost a mint returning a Manta Turtle to Japan with a scratched dial. 🙄
ouch! Yeah when filming it looked like a dust but you know what it could have been a crack in the texture layer. I was very tempted to open and find out but did not.
The spec is +25 to -15. Not going to compare to many other modern movements by spec but Seikos usually tune to better than that. Shame the QC seems to have dropped. I kind of wish they had not gone for the slower beat rate, longer run time hack.
@Shadowgolem Personally, i don't mind the slower beat movement...Why? Lower service intervals.. These prospex are workhorses designed to keep going..I'm fine with it.
Not likely. There’s a reviewer bias for broken watches. Everyone storms. The internet to complain. They’re selling THOUSANDS of watches. Many of The happy customers don’t go online at all.
The +25 to -15 is just a modest error figure from Seiko they won't be that inaccurate or anywhere near it
Love the bracelet but hate the diver extension…anyway to get rid of the extension or use another clasp that fits this bracelet?
Yes watch this video I made about it with the solution: th-cam.com/video/7pzBiIbUOPM/w-d-xo.html
@@EscapementWatch 👍👍👍👍
My FIRST thought was…where’s the RED dot on the second hand? Other than that, I think they look pretty good.
I love Seiko as a brand and my rule at sticking in the 4R range seems to be where I’m comfortable 😎
Wise choice! I just tested a new GMT Seiko NH34 in a micro brand and it performed well. I was a little surprised at the 12 down performance as well. It remained over 300 amplitude which I don't think I've seen before.
4R and 6R are nearly odentical, the difference is only that 6R has longer power reserve due to the different mainspring and has a different hair spring (for a bit better accuracy), other than those 2 parts, the movement is exacrtly the same
If they lumed the date wheel would iso let them delete the three o'clock lume pip? I prefer the dial with the frame around the date window.
I dont remember where i got the idea from, but i was under the impression that the 6r35 would be easier (and likely cheaper) to regulate and service than a powermatic 80. Is that true, and is that worth considering when comparing these Seikos to some of those Swiss watches?
Mine has a faulty scre down crown where it will block before popping out and being a "grind monster"
You can get this watch around 800 dollars brand new in USA now if you know where to look. I got one for just under that it is one of my best watch deals of 2022 for this watch quality and design.
Yeah, my luck, or rather unluckiness, with Seiko's that have the 6R35 hasn't been great. My SPB147 ran kind of shitty out of the box. -20 to 25 s/d, if I recall. I ended up regulating myself and it did end up being one of my most accurate watches at under +2 s/d. And, it held that performance. Sometimes the movement can slip out of regulation.
Such as with my SBDC111. It was running about -8 to -12 s/d. I've been trying to retrieve it, but, I think the movement had some QC issues. The time greater shows style key erratic results of when. The readings can vary greatly and sometimes ramping up to +77 to over +100 s/d?! Out of nowhere. I'm just watching it in 12 down position and waiting for readings to settle to see where it's holding.
Even if I seemingly get a more consistent reading for me to be satisfied enough to close the case back and give it another test run. It starts out ok then the deviation slowly accelerates it's increase over the day.
It's quite frustrating and disappointing.
I really feel like swapping out the 6R35 for a good old NH35. They seem more consistent and generally perform better with my experience.
Additionally, I don't really care about the 70 hr of PR because these watches never hold their timekeeping when off the wrist as opposed to when they are kept on the wrist, in my experience. So, I'd have to be put in the effort to hack and reset the watch anyways. Adding a little hand wind or shake to get the movement running again isn't that much more to do. Thus, I find high power reserve near useless unless the watch is COSC or greater where it can and should maintain accuracy while both on and off the wrist.
Hi, I have exactly the same problem with my seiko with a 6r35 movement. And yes I swapped it with an nh36.
Thanks for sharing. This is my experience as well. Just tested a new microbrand with the NH34 gmt movement and was surprised at 12 down still 300 amp. I think the mainspring at 70hrs gives inconsistent power or something in the 6Rs. It has to be the reason.
Is that a scratch on the dial near the 2 o'clock marker?
I saw that too. Came to the comments section to see if anyone else noticed it. Surprised no one pointed it out!
That's exactly the accuracy I get with my 6R35; after being regulated again by Seiko, it gains time in any flat position but loses substantially in any edge down position. Mine is now ok to wear and keep good time but out of the factory it was awful.
Thanks for sharing
So seiko regulating it fixed it?
@@SaSpursFan it's much better, keeps ok time now as long as I place it face up when I take it off. But I shouldn't have to take a month old $1000 Seiko straight in for regulating, they need to lift their game on that.
@@caramel109 I agree! My spd207 was running -20 s/day. So disappointing bc it’s the first time I ever spent that much on a watch ($1350)! How long did it take to get back from seiko
@@SaSpursFan about 3 weeks. I have a $150 Rolex copy from China that keeps better time, which is pretty embarrassing. The 6R35 movement is a dud and shouldn't be in any watches above $500.
I've sent a few of my watches back to Seiko for regulation. They'll do it at no cost but it's a pain that it has to be done in the first place!
In love with spb 299!
Eh in my part of the world you can find ADs selling it well below regional MSRP between USD855 - USD985 with real warranty. And that includes the major regional AD that also sells Grand Seikos. It's a sub-one-thousand-dollar watch...
I tried this model today at the Seiko Boutique and I was blown away. It looks like watch worth 2x
Yes it looks exceptional for 1200 dollars. Most watches from other brands/microbrands come out anything similar to this watch in greatness at same cost , no one will say anything, but for seiko, always people complain price. Hopefully one day in future, seiko will develop a greater brand image hopefully comparable to longine or oris
@@bryanryan4504exactly, they complain about price but they are willing to spend thousands on a swiss made extremely ugly watches. I will not mention brands to offend anybody but you may guess
Midooceanstar200ceramic. Best dive watch under 1000@@asiantimepieces
I dare say that had it not been for the beauty of Seiko watches, they would have been blown off the market. I have spb143 myself and I love it, but after 2 months it had + 46s / d and now it is waiting for a new mechanism under the warranty because it has not been possible to adjust it. My first and last 6r35 Seiko.
Stupid question, but did you try to demagnetize it?
Yes, it was not magnetized, and what would it be - not +.
Does everything line up though?
more or less
The SPB299 is beautiful and the bracelet is pretty good. But the bezel on mine is not properly aligned and has some play, the lume is unimpressive, and the movement was running at +25spd. I regulated it, but even then the positional variance for the movement is absurd. It’s just not a good value.
Same. Got my spb255, 10 mins of walking,+25 already. Bought it brand new at Seiko dealer
Where did you find the info on the bezel insert? I can't find the info anywhere on it being carbon coated?
Seiko told me. Exact words: "black titanium carbon"
Have several 6r15 movements and seem to have had luck with them; the QC on these 6r35 seem to be wildly inconsistent-may need to go Longines or Seiko 6L or 8L for my next watch. Shame as I love the case and dials on the Seikos. Wake up Seiko!
i fell in love with the dial.very nice..Would this be a watch to wear every day?
sure thing man.
For a watch in the 1k range I expect more also the mark in the dail in the 10 o'clock position sekio is selling on its name now
Uhm didn't have the sound on all the way, but is there blemish on the dial itself slightly below and towards the center of the 2 o'clock marker?
The issues you mentioned certainly steered me away from Seiko. I really like their style and finish, but the hit and miss QC is just not okay for me. I will rather wear my Victorinox maverick for a diver or go the other direction and spend more to get something nice.
Yes there is a dust on the dial near the date window
@@EscapementWatch I guess the only viable option is astron or sla line then 😜
basically lol. You can check out the 6L movements in the 2-3k range hopefully they put that movement in more watches going forward. Seiko is almost ready to release their silicone hair spring which could change the game for the 6R in the future. It did save the co-axial as its like a CHEAT CODE for your movement.
I picked up the spb187 a few months ago and I was lucky with the 6r35. Mine on wrist is running -3 per day. I've tried out several gs divers and I really think this case is up there.
That scratch or dust on the dial under the 2 o clock index...
THANK YOU. I was wondering why nobody mention it ^^
It is a dust or fabric
Yeah, first thing I noticed too. Would not expect that from QC or the watch was opened afterwards.
Bought a prospect samurai manta ray. Wore it one/one day and it stopped working. So very disappointing
Really shocked with the results from your movement - A year ago I got the SPB181J1 (PADI Sumo) with the 6r35 and it runs fantastically at +2s/d but it’s sounding more and more like I was lucky and got a ‘good one’.
I think a bad batch may be going around!
I hope you review the SPB240 boutique edition too. Love ur vids! ❤
Thanks for kind words! But we do not have access to boutique editions sadly!
When you took it off that generic looking bracelet I fell in love. 1:44 😍❤️
I have a 200 euro seiko 5, I can barely accept the accuracy for the money as its pretty bad. But for that kind of money its pretty sad. Got much better experience with miyota. I like seiko divers, but keeping to quartz
It’s not in no man land price wise, actually it has excellent competition by the likes of Squale 1521, Doxa Sub 200, Mido Ocean Star Tribute, CW C60, and many others.
I don't mind the price because I look for sales and deals, I never pay full price. Amazon have great discounts.
Sucks about the freaking movement. My spb207 was averaging -13 to -20 seconds a day. :(
yeaaaaa
Just sold my black Seiko SPB255J1. I loved the watch. Its stellar looks, drilled lugs, fat spring bars, being a strap monster. Even the bezel aligned pretty good.
Sadly, almost every Seiko automatic I've owned has given me the impression that Seiko has a very hit and miss chance when it comes to QC in the movement department, and that is just sad in my opinion. I got my 6R35 movement regulated (quick), and it went +- 2 sec a day for a couple of weeks before is plummeted back to - 10 secs a day. I regularly had to demagnetize it too. Not a big issue, but my watch was so inconsistent.
I switched between the Seiko and my Glycine Combat Sub 42 (ETA 2824), and it was, and still is much more consistent and accurate than my SPB255J1. I'm not saying that the Glycine and ETA is better, but for the price I paid for my Seiko, much was left to be desired. If Seiko do increase their QC-department's quality, I will without hesitation go back to Seiko.
Thanks for sharing. The ETA 2824 is a chronometer grade movement, meaning it can reach chronometer status depending on regulation and tier. For Seiko the only way to get chronometer grade architecture is the 6 'L' and 8 'L' if we exclude Seiko spring drives in the LX.
@knot raul, got my spb255 today. 10 mins of walking, +25 seconds already! So sad.
Great video, many thanks for the extra discussion of movement details. Even if it is a minority of people who want their watch to reliably show what time it is, perhaps it should be a bolder minority. Watches can and should be as accurate as possible, or at least that option should be available for people who want their watch to show the time (I can feel the web-hate coming for saying that). Mechanical can be accurate. Regulating works. ( I love the sound of the 6R15, but I haven't seen one that keeps good time. Why are the 6r35 and 6r15 considered 'better' than the 4r3#? Better quality parts? Seems like the performance isn't as good. The 4r35 (and the version for export) is like the Drosophila of movements, seiko must have soooo much data on how to make those well. Curious to have a better low-end than a middle....
The 6R has Spron 510 mainspring. A high end alloy for the spring. GS uses a higher version of Spron
Where did you get that watch from?; I would like to take a look at it.
Kavar Jewelers. Link in description
The blue dial is just captivating to my eyes 😍
it def puts a smile on the face when you look down on your wrist with it.
I think you've answered your own question really without actually saying it. When it comes to looks seiko pulls out all the stops and to me that is the main thing and makes it worth the money, so long as it not ridiculously inaccurate. I only wear my watches for two to three days at a time before changing, so for me 10 to 12 seconds out wouldn't be a problem.
@Glenn Evans i hear ya.. Not a big deal for me either.
My SPB299J1 runs at +2 spb on wrist and dial up at night. I have zero complaints, it’s a fantastic Seiko diver, and that dial, EPIC!!!! 🤙
I would say to this day Turtle and King turtle have by far the best looking bevel bezels ever,even better than MM200 and MM300.Those Turtle double square bevels are just the best!!
compare the spb299 to citizen promaster
Sent my prospex ginza 6R35 back for warranty regulation for being -23 seconds on average. Fingers crossed this sorts it out. Upside is that the warranty covers this so I’m not out anything here.
6R15s had similar problems. I don't think they ever figured out a way to guarantee a solid 6Rxx movement in a new Seiko.
They should just buy their movements from Citizen. The 90xx's are rock solid.
Seiko fan here but loosing the trust. Owned and sold few now based on (too) poor QC. Remained with 6r35 Alpinist and ran at +40 a day. Returned to AD for regulation, now barely at +15-20 a day. Really bad compared to Swis comps and seriously considering buying any Seiko again despite the love. Needless to say the compas dial is way off/misaligned. There is too much compromise to take with Seiko, they need to pick up on QC or loose the price increasing game
Plus... there's a scratch under the two o'clock indice. Talking about mediocre CQ...
Seikos prices are inverse of qc, as prices increases the quality still lags.
No mention of the obvious mark on the dial? Continued QC issues from Seiko.
I was hoping nobody noticed my 4k super zoom macros hehehe ;-) Wait till next months oris aquis episode we are going to play SPOT THE QC issue on that one.
Seiko has even increasing their price like crazy now, unfortunately they don't up their ante on their QC. I don't think they present value any more. For anything more than 1k I would rather go to other micro brand. These guys care more quality and can offer more than Seiko giant.
I gave my sumo PADI to my son , I paid around 800euro for it, the bezel alignment was not perfectly aligned, with the price I paid, I was dissatisfied.
I had to send mine for repair 2 weeks after buying it brand new. 3 minutes gain per day!
Ouch, that sounds like it could have been magnetized
@@EscapementWatch I used a demagnetiser on it, but it didn't improve. Seiko has it at the moment and I'm hoping to have it fixed and returned next week.
hope so!
I have the glacier white Willard and this mm200 reduced from this save the ocean collection. Both these watches are extremely nice especially on my 7in wrist. They’re pretty perfect and always stay accurate. Btw if you’re going to wear a rubber strap get a crafter blue curved rubber strap.
Thanks for sharing! Not a fan of crafter blue. Feels like it makes my wrist suffocate.
My 6r35 runs at -9.5 seconds/day. Not the best but it’s within spec so 🤷🏻. Wish it was slightly more accurate.
Yeah and if you wear multiple watches a week it is not a big deal. Say you wear it 3 days in a row. 30s off is not going to make you late for anything!
Great video. I like the price comparisons. Seiko is still the winner in my opinion.
What about Mido Ocean Star?
Also a good option but the case proportions are a bit weird. Wears much bigger for a 42.5mm case.
Yes, the Midp! I often overlook it.
I think your wanting too much from the old girl.......well within spec. Love that dial and case.....
I really wanted the Spb211 but seiko is to greedy to offer it on a bracelet, i'm not paying 750 with a damn nato.
beautiful colorway!!!!
another great review but you're right about the 6R35 it sucks!
Thanks bro!
Talking diver competition and not mentioning Doxa is a major oversight.
the new Doxa has nothing to do with the original brand. It is just an "operation nostalgia"
If the indices were real and lume filled, I'd buy this. Pressed and printed is garbage though. And regulate the movements ffs.
Tengo dos Seiko con calibre 6R 35 el SPB147 y el SPB 169 los dos han venido con problemas de exactitud, por lo tanto Seiko ahorra a cuenta del cliente. Relojes de más de 1000 eur dls es lamentable. Estoy defraudado con Seiko. Saludos.
It's now a birdbox seconds hand
I'd say the biggest problem they have is "the person who does the chapter ring and bezel alignment for their divers and gmts, needs to be fired."
Who am I kidding, we all know its a robot that installs all that crap.
haha oh yeah I hate that robot!!! They have improved it on the DRESS KX with double pin guides, so there is hope
Where did you get that black pro diver strap in 20mm size?
Nodus avalon. The newest version bad ass. It comes in bronze also. I think seiko looks great but overpriced. Nodus gives you alot more for the price there charging. Great company. Almost forgot regulated movement
You can opt out by making a mod wherein seiko still benefit about it.
Esto lo resumo así: al que le gusta el durazno (Seiko) que se aguante la pelusa (movimiento), saludos Namber oan 👍
Seiko should start to offering quartz movements, along side autos so customers can choose. I know what I’d go for!
That would be fantastic!
I LUV the Squale 1521... Check it out..
Hope to one day! Thanks
I love this watch but Seiko is not paying full attention to the competitors. Someone convince me why I should buy this watch over Christopher Ward C60 Pro 300 ? I don't care about the 70 hr power reserve at the expense of the beats per second... For me, all the 3 hz movements with 70 or 80 hr of PR don't add any extra value.
Hamilton and TIssot aren't really direct competitors I think, they're more entry level. I think much closer rivals are the Squale 1521 and Sub-39, Zodiac SSW, and Chris Ward Trident and Aquitaine. Chris Ward in particular I think really puts a tough fight up against Seiko. The Light Catcher case is very nicely finished, CW's bezels actually line up and their action is better, their crown action is better, and the SW-200 isn't likely to have such wild swings in amplitude out of the box. I know you weren't super impressed with the CW you had in, but the Atoll Blue Trident C60 which I have is a gorgeous watch. I also own both the SPB185 and SPB207 (both modded) so I have a good basis for comparison. I'm also putting together mods based on the SPB255 and SPB299. The case is the best part of the MM200R, the finishing is superb. I like it so much I'm going to have four of them.
An interesting tidbit you didn't mention - the 299 does not have the same handset design as the SPB185/187/207/240/255. They all have broader, wedge shaped hands. The 299 for whatever reason has the slimmer and straighter hour and minute from the 63MAS and Willard. Not sure why Seiko made that choice.
Thank you for mentioning as I forgot!!! I remember seeing the first render and thinking oh the photoshop guy messed up the hands. But I was wrong they really are the 63mas hands. Maybe its a save the ocean thing. Be curious to see if they keep it. I like these hands better on this watch they work better imo. As for CW I would like to get another on the channel I'm talking to them now but they are so slow to email us. Communication is like 1 email a month or 2! As for the hammy I recently filmed the upgraded new version 43mm ceramic and now it has 300m of water resist instead of the 40mm 100m I looked at last year.
GS dial on a budget
No bad batch of the 6r. It's just bad in general. Wildly inaccurate. But it is what it is
I would be happier without the date complication.
The 6r35 is ruining so many of Seikos nice looking watches
It's a shame Seiko's cases and dials are so nice, because the accuracy is dramatically better on the ~$1K Swatch group diver movements. I'm not sure why Seiko can't do a little regulation on those things at 4 figure prices.
For my 8KX I actually tried to regulating it all day. I would leave it for 30 minutes. Maybe edit a little bit, then change the positioning it would not hold and I'm not new to regulation on Seiko's. I've been doing it for years so that one had a problem and I think this one might as well because of the dramatic amplitude drop. I just filmed the NH34 a new GMT from a micro brand and it kept 300 amplitude in both positions which shocked me. I don't think I've ever seen that before on this grade of movement. Stay tuned next month when I'm allowed to reveal which micro brand is using the new Seiko GMT.
looks like a blemish below the #2 lum, $1200????
Tissot seastar 2000 profesional is more in that price range
Seiko is crazy with their pricing.For $425 I got a Maratac LSA: 40mm grade 5 titanium case/bezel, 120 clicks, polished ceramic insert, signed crown, domed AR sapphire crystal, C3 Superluminova, 300m WR, incredibly crisp and detailed milling all around, and powered by a Seiko 4R35. There’s no way that Seiko with their big overhead can compete with the micro brands.
Cotton candy hand